Carrier and decoration for burial-caskets.



L. H. MONTROSS. CARRIER AND DECORATION FOR BURIAL GASKETS. APPLIOATIONI'ILED OOT.15, 190a. RENEWED JAN. 23, 1911.

1,001 ,424, Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

2 SHEETS-BIIBET 1.

L. H. MONTROSS.

CARRIER AND DECORATION FOR BURIAL GASKETS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 1a, 1908. RENEWED JAN. 23, 1911.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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LEVI H. MON'IROSS, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

CARRIER AND DECORATION FOR BURIAL-CASKETS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 22, 1911.

Application filed October 15, 1908, Serial No. 457,786. Renewed January23, 1911. Serial No. 604,237.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI H. Mon'rnoss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Camden, in the county of Camden, State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Carrier and Deco 'ation for Burial-Caskets, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a carrier for caskets which isat the same time capable of variation in appearance and which shallpartially or wholly hide the lower or body portion of the casket andserve as a decoration or ornamentation therefor.

A further purpose of my invention is to provide for intercl'iangeabilityof paneled parts in casket decoration and in means for carrying thecasket.

In carrying out each and every of the purposes above mentioned I attainadvantages and the accomplishment of further purposes which will appearin the specitioation itself and which will be evident independently tothose skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred byme, since the same has been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings Figurc 1 represents a side elevation of astructure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged sideelevation of a portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a section upon line02-00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4t represents a top elevation of a portion ofFig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 represent panels made use of in my structure inperspective views. Fig. 7 represents in side elevation a casket in placewithin one of my carriers. Fig. 8 represents a portion of the carrierand. casket of Fig. 7 in fragmentary side elevation. Fig. 9 represents aportion of the structure of Fig. 7 in trans verse section upon the liney/ 1/ thereof.

1 designates a base of sound deadening and yielding materials,preferably wood, most desirably used for engaging with the floor of thehearse. Upon it. 1 mount a me tallic or other molding 2 depressed at 3and laterally and inwardly extended at 4; to provide a seat for thepanels hereinafter described, and indirectly to provide a seat for thecasket itself. This molding in the form shown is held in place by screws5 and (5 which latter are made use of to hold the panels also.

At such intervals as may be desired along the base I secure panels whichI have illustrated as of the form of panels 7 but which evidently mayvary considerably therefrom and the purpose thereof is multifold. '1.hey are secured to the base or molding in any suitable way as by screws(5 and provide means of attachment of any form of casket hardwarewithout the trouble and injury incident to the attachment of thishardware directly to the casket, leaving the latter intact, a matter ofgreat importance with metallic caskets. In the form illustrated thepanel 7 has been shown outwardly swelled at 8 and inwardly depressed at9 for purposes hcrcafter pointed out. The lower portion at 10 isarranged to fit within the particular molding shown and is laterallyextended at 11 to provide for attachment to the base. A plate 12 of anysuitable ma terial, preferably of wood is secured to the panel by meansof bolts or screws 13, which are shown projecting outside the plate.This form of attachment is convenient, but will be seen not to benecessary, as the panels can be mounted in other ways.

I mount any suitable form of handles 14- by means of fastenings 15,preferring to mount the handles of whatever character upon the plate 19because of the inward depression of the panel itself at this point.\Vhere the panel is not shown depressed, I may mount the handles uponthe panel.

I have illustrated individual handles and the form of supporting meanswhich I prefer.

My construction evidently provides a number of possible arrangements ofthe panels 7 with respect to each other and the casket for they can bemounted close to gether or spaced, and where spaced, the oils ket can beshown in between them, or intervening panels may be used. I haveillustrated such panels.

, In my preferred form I have completely filled the space between theadjoining panels 7 with intermediate connecting panels to form acomplete and continuous outer coating for the casket united suflicientlyto the carrier base and suitably fastened to prevent lateraldisplacement of the panels. The two types of panels cooperate with eachother and with the body of the casket, receiving support from each otherand transmitting strain laterally and transversely and also receivingsupport from the sides and lateral extensions of the casket. Theengagement with the casket to prevent relative vertical movement ispreferably accomplished by making use of the upper edge of the panel asat 17, as shown in Fig. 4c, to engage with part of the casket body,preferably with grooves formed upon the under side of the upper edge ofthe casket body where there is a projecting ledge from the casket.

I have illustrated one form of such cooperation between the panel and acasket in Fig. 9, mutually reinforcing the casket and panel by thismeans.

The form of panel which I prefer to make use of intermediate the panels7 is that shown at 18 and best illustrated in Fig. 6. Its top edge 19engages with the casket body similarly to the edge 17 while its lateraledges are preferably reversely bent at 20 to form a pocket 21 with innerlimiting edge 22. Evidently this pocket can be formed upon either of thepanels though it is of course desirable not to have it on the panel 7 incases where it alone is to be used. A further objection, though not aninsurmountable one to placing the pocket in the panel 7 lies in the factthat this panel would generally be of much heavier material than thepanel 18.

While any form of decoration or ornamentation, surface or embossed mightbe made use of in the panel 18 I have illustrated a wreath 23.

In the particular form illustrated the end panels 2 are preferably notprovided with handles or fastenings therefor though this could evidentlybe done wherever necessary.

The end panels are joined with the side panels next adjoining them bymeans of corner panels 25 of any desired conformation according to thecharacter of the casket and the exact shape thereof.

It will be evident that I provide means by which any variety ofdecoration ofpanels may be made use of, one being substituted foranother upon short notice, and that neither the panels 7 nor the panels18 need be of the same character of decoration nor the same one as theother.

It will be further evident that the panels 7 need not all be handlepanels even when used upon the sides of the carrier and that it will notbe necessary to secure such panels so firmly to the base of the carrierwhen used for connecting purposes only. The lateral extension at 11 addsto the stability of the structure when used upon the handle panelsbecause it brings the strain of these directly upon the bottom of thecasket. While evidently this stability could be otherwise provided foreven for the handle panels as by securely fastening the vertical portion10 to the molding and the molding to the base, such stability andconsequently such security of fastening is not necessary in panels 7which are used for decoration or intermediate support for panels such as18 alone.

It will be evident that the panels 18 are inserted most desirably bysliding them down vertically but that the pocket could be formed inother ways than that shown as by a separate piece attached and that itis possible to make use of other means of attachment or connection ofthe panels 7 or 18 than by the tongue and groove illustrated.

While the panels 18 are preferably lowered to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1 in which their lower edges engage vith thelateral extension 11 they may evidently stop at and engage with theupper edge of or an intermediate part of the molding 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a casket carrier, a base, a plurality of panels fixed at intervalsthereon, and intermediate panels connected therewith and retained bysaid fixed panels.

2. In a casket carrier, a base, a plurality of independent fixed panelsat intervals thereon, and intermediate panels having tongue and grooveconnection with said fixed panels.

3. In a casket carrier, a base, a plurality of fixed panels secured tosaid base at intervals for engagement with an outwardly directed flangeon a casket, and a plurality of intermediate panels connected with saidbase and retained by and interlockingly engaging said fixed panels.

4. In a casket carrier, a base, a panel fixed thereto which is outwardlyswelled near its edges relatively to the center, a handle plate thereon,and means for fastening the handle plate to the relatively outwardlyswelled portion.

5. In a casket carrier, a base, a plurality of panels fixed to saidbase, handles supremovable panels between the fixed panels portedthereon, and a plurahty of removable and havmg lnterloclnng connectlontherepancls between the fixed panels and United w1th.

thereto. LEVI H. MONTROSS.

6. In a casket carrier, fixed panels \Vitnesses:

adapted to be engaged by projections on a 'luos. \V. \Vuaunson,

casket, handles upon the fixed panels, and M. E. RINKENBACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

